Woody Allen claims videotape proves Mia's 'unfitness' as mother

NEW YORK -- Woody Allen on Monday termed a controversial videotape made of his and Mia Farrow's adopted daughter, Dylan, 'tangible proof' that his former lover is an unfit mother.

Allen won the right in State Supreme Court last week to view the videotape, which Farrow made four months ago of their 7-year-old daughter. The tape allegedly showed the child recounting instances of sexual abuse by Allen at Farrow's Connecticut home.

Farrow has turned the tape over to Connecticut authorities who are investigating charges of child abuse against Allen, and allegedly showed it to friends and a television network, but refused to give Allen a copy.

Allen repeatedly has denied he ever abused the child.

'If ever tangible proof was needed demonstrating the unfitness of this mother, Mia has provided it,' Allen said in a statement after viewing the tape.

'What she has put our little child through, out of pure vindictiveness, is sickening and exemplifies the worst kind of child abuse. The poor seven-year-old is probed, badgered, made to recite, led, photographed naked, and coached by the off-camera voice of her mother who herself gives a performance that is not exactly of Academy Award caliber.

'The thought that any mother could manipulate her own child into making this ludicrous and wicked cassette...and appallingly arrange for it to be brought up to a TV network in the hopes of publicly airing it, tells you all you have to know,' Allen added in the statement. 'No wonder she withheld it from my sight for so long.'

The actor-director and Farrow are locked in a custody battle in both the Supreme Court and Manhattan Surrogate Court for custody of their biological son, Satchel, 5, and two adopted children, Dylan, and 14- year-old Moses.

Allen, 56, has charged Farrow with turning their children against him because of an affair he is having with another of her adopted children, Soon-Yi Previn, a 21-year-old college sophomore.